Gibraltar Race: the pain of doing it and... leaving with epicondylitis

The Gibraltar Race “worm” has crept into my mind
Two months ago, after a profitable winter from an athletic point of view, yes in short, I felt good and fit, I decided to participate, I communicated it to family, friends and acquaintances, I signed up and went to the navigation briefing, organized by the Gibraltar Race staff. Since I have been riding a motorbike since I was a boy, I was convinced that, with a couple of phone calls, I would find a sponsor who would provide me with a suitable motorbike. The sponsor is law2ride.it, your lawyer in the saddle (as well as Victor's activity – NDR) and I participate with a Husqvarna 701, prepared by the guys from P&D Husqvarna and KTM in Milan, who were professional and patient PPs.

My off-road experience is that of motorbike mountaineering, trials so to speak, what is taught at Mario Valesina's international trials school. I have never tried my hand at enduro, except on dirt roads and mule tracks, the famous Gelände Straße (it's not for nothing that he has an R1200GS, NDR). I therefore asked Enrica Perego and the Sud Est Raid team of Albenga to help me get into the role. They were fantastic and so with a motorbike weighing over 160 kg, with off-road tyres, I took part in the Parma Mare.
I am a lawyer and have always dealt exclusively with compensation for personal injuries, in particular from road traffic with attention to motorcyclists and cyclists, so with what I happen to see in the office I am very sensitive to safety and protection, but with the equipment, despite my forty years of experience (first scooter ridden on the edge of the Paleocapa Riviera in Padua, an Aquilotto at the age of 10 and the same year first mini cross, an Italjet at Sestrire), however with protections and footwear I have I had serious difficulties and made mistakes.

Let me start by saying that I have a Saxon approach to motorbikes, so even for short rides I have always had, both for the
passenger both for me, I use all the protections, boots, jacket, gloves. To prepare and equip myself for the Gibraltar Race I chose the wrong armour, in the sense that I bought a cross armor which turned out to be unsuitable because it was too restrictive, I then identified a more comfortable, but less breathable, vest.

The boots
The first pair too hard, kept on for two days with continuous rain, pressure
It caused an infection on my big toe, which forced me to take antibiotics for 15 days
and to suspend training. I therefore opted for a comfortable boot with very high protection, but the sole is for cross and, in the mud, when you have to push or pull the motorbike up you are not in
feet! So, finally, a boot that is a little less heavy and protective, but perfect to be
worn for many hours and with non-slip sole. Before they gave me the bike I trained with my trial bike and I got a whiplash to my elbow, resulting in post traumatic epicondylitis which doesn't go away, therefore, since I decided to participate because I felt in great shape, in fact I didn't me
I'm more trained. Tomorrow I'm leaving with epicondylitis, a little low muscle tone, with rain
which has been falling for weeks and will fall heavily on Brasciof (Romania), where a huge mudflat awaits us!

But the "motorcyclist" race, as we know, doesn't give up!